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| Vintage Fabric Care |
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CARE SOLUTIONS FOR ANTIQUE AND VINTAGE CLOTHING:
FIRST OF ALL: WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU STORE GARMENTS IN ACID FREE TISSUE PAPER AND BOXES. (FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE WE WILL SOON BE OFFERING THESE FOR PURCHASE ON OUR SITE.)
WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU CLEAN GARMENTS BEFORE STORING. DID YOU EVER PUT SOMETHING AWAY THAT LOOKED CLEAN, BUT YOU DIDN’T WASH IT FIRST, AND THEN WHEN YOU TOOK IT OUT AGAIN IT HAD A STAIN ON IT? THESE ARE CALLED INVISIBLE STAINS. SOMETIMES YOU DON’T SEE BODY OIL OR OTHER LIGHT STAINS UNTIL THEY HAVE TIME TO REACT WITH THE FABRIC, AND THEN SUDDENLY THEY ARE BROWN AND IRREVERSIBLE. SO WASH EVERYTHING FIRST IF YOU HAVE WORN IT. (PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR WASHING DETAILS).
GARMENTS SHOULD NEVER BE STORED ON A HANGER. THE STRESS OF THE WEIGHT OF A HANGING GARMENT OFTEN CAUSES THE SHOULDER FABRIC TO SHRED. GARMENTS SHOULD BE FOLDED AND LAID FLAT, AND WRAPPED IN AN UN-DYED 100% COTTON FABRIC (OLD SHEETS) OR ACID FREE PAPER AND/OR BOXES. STORING YOUR GARMENT PROPERLY IS IMPORTANT TO THE GARMENT’S LONG LIFE AND WEAR ABILITY.
HEAVY COATS AND FURS SHOULD BE DRY CLEANED BEFORE STORING. BUT GUESS WHAT? THERE ARE WONDERFUL “AT HOME “ DRY CLEANING KITS NOW THAT YOU CAN USE IN YOUR OWN CLOTHES DRYER. THEY WORK GREAT, THEY’RE LESS EXPENSIVE, AND YOU CAN CONTROL WHAT IS HAPPENING TO YOUR GARMENTS.
HEAVY COATS AND FURS CAN BE HUNG ON HANGERS. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY SATIN HANGERS, YOU CAN USE A HEAVY WOODEN HANGER AND WRAP THE HANGER WITH UN-DYED 100% COTTON FABRIC (OLD SHEETS) TO ADD SOME PADDING SO THAT THE SHOULDER SEAMS HAVE MORE SUPPORT.
FINALLY: WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU NEVER STORE ANYTHING IN A PLASTIC BAG. THE REASON IS:
OVER TIME THE POLYETHYLENE AND OTHER CHEMICALS IN THE PLASTIC BAG REACT WITH OXYGEN, AND START TO DEGENERATE, AND DOING SO REACT WITH THE FABRIC OF THE GARMENT IN THE BAG, CHANGING FABRIC STRENGTH, COLOR, AND/OR COMPOSITION.
WHEN YOU THINK A GARMENT IS SAFE IN A PLASTIC BAG, YOU MAY TAKE IT OUT TO USE IT AND IT IS DISCOLORED OR FRAGILE, OR PERMANENTLY DAMAGED.
SO STORE THE GARMENT IN A 100% COTTON BAG (A PILLOW CASE WITH A
HOLE PUT IN THE TOP) YOU CAN BUY THESE, OR MAKE YOUR OWN.
WASHING DO’S AND DON’TS
I THINK I COULD GO ON FOR A FEW YEARS ABOUT WASHING THINGS, BUT THE OLD STAND BY METHODS ARE THE BEST. ASK YOUR GRANDMOTHER!
HERE ARE A FEW SIMPLE DON’T S:
1. DON’T TAKE ANYTHING TO A WASH AND FOLD OR A DRY CLEANER (MANY DRY CLEAN ONLY THINGS CAN BE HAND WASHED)
2. DON’T PUT VINTAGE CLOTHING IN THE WASHING MACHINE.
3. DON’T USE CLOROX BLEACH; IT’S TOO HARSH ON FABRIC. ALWAYS USE ALL-FABRIC BLEACH, EVEN ON WHITES.
4. NEVER RUB, STRETCH, OR LIFT A GARMENT WHEN WET. FABRIC IS VERY BRITTLE WHEN WET, AND TO DO THESE THINGS CAN STRESS RIP, TEAR SEAMS OR OTHER WISE DAMAGE A GARMENT.
NOW FOR SOME DO’S
1. IF YOU HAVE A PERSISTENT STAIN, MIX UP SOME SALT AND LEMON JUICE AND APPLY THE MIXTURE TO THE SPOT. PLACE YOUR GARMENT WITH THE STAIN FACE DOWN ON GREEN GRASS IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT UNTIL THE STAIN GOES AWAY. WORKS BEST ON WHITES.
2. IF YOU LIKE, YOU CAN TRY HYDROGEN PEROXIDE (IN THE BROWN BOTTLE) IT IS VERY DILUTED BLEACH; AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT…SO IS BEES HONEY (YUP YOU HEARD ME) IT has the same bleach percentage as hydrogen peroxide. YOU CAN USE EITHER OF THESE ON WHITE OR COLORED FABRIC to treat a STAIN. (PLEASE TEST THIS ON A HIDDEN SPOT OF THE GARMENT FIRST FOR COLOR FASTNESS.) IT WORKS WELL ON BLOOD OR RUST. PUT IT ON AND WAIT. REPEAT IF NECESSARY, THEN COLD WATER RINSE.
THE WASHING
1. NOW TO THE ACTUAL WASHING. YOU NEED A FLAT BASIN AND 2 CLEAN WHITE TOWELS. A MILD LIQUID DETERGENT, AND ALL FABRIC POWDERED BLEACH. LAY ONE TOWEL IN THE BOTTOM OF A FLAT PAN OR BASIN. ADD COLD WATER FOR COLORED GARMENTS, AND WARM WATER FOR WHITE GARMENTS. ADD A FEW DROPS OF DETERGENT TO THE WATER, AND SPRINKLE IN SOME ALL FABRIC BLEACH. AGITATE THE WATER WITH YOUR HANDS UNTIL THE DETERGENT AND POWDERED BLEACH ARE MIXED WELL WITH THE WATER.
2. NEXT, FOLD THE GARMENT CAREFULLY TO FIT INTO THE BASIN, AND SLOWLY PLACE IT IN THE BASIN PRESSING LIGHTLY WITH YOUR HANDS. YOU CAN PRESS, PRESS LIGHTLY. ND NOT AGITATE OR UNFOLD THE GARMENT. DO NOT LIFT THE GARMENT UP AND DOWN. JUST PRESS IN THE WATER FOR NOT MORE THAN 3 MINUTES.
3. NEXT, HOLDING THE GARMENT AND TOWEL IN THE BASIN POUR OFF THE DIRTY SOAPY WATER, AND THEN SLOWLY RE-FILL THE BASIN WITH COLD WATER. ALWAYS RINSE EVERYTHING WITH COLD WATER; IT WORKS BEST.
4. NEXT, USING THE SAME GENTLE PRESSING MOTION PRESS ON THE GARMENT IN THE COLD WATER TO GET THE SOAP OUT. EMPTY AND REFILL THE BASIN WITH COLD WATER UNTIL THE WATER STAYS CLEAR. YOU MAY NEED TO REPEAT THIS STEP SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE WATER REMAINS CLEAR. WHEN ACHIEVED, HOLD THE GARMENT AND THE TOWEL IN THE BASIN AND DRAIN OFF AS MUCH WATER AS POSSIBLE.
5. USING THE TOWEL LIFT THE GARMENT OUT OF THE BASIN, TO NEGATE ANY STRESS ON THE GARMENT’S FABRIC.
6. FOLD THE WET TOWEL WITH THE GARMENT IN IT AND GENTLY PRESS OUT ANY WATER. DO NOT RING TOWEL. CAREFULLY LIFT WET GARMENT AND PLACE ONTO ANOTHER CLEAN DRY TOWEL. CAREFULLY ROLL THE GARMENT UP IN THE CLEAN WET TOWEL. PRESSING THE WATER OUT, REMEMBERING NOT TO RING IT.
7. UNROLL THE TOWEL, CAREFULLY REMOVING THE GARMENT FROM THE WET TOWEL, AND LAY THE GARMENT FLAT TO DRY ON TOP OF A CLEAN DRY TOWEL ON A DRYING RACK.
8. After THE GARMENT HAS DRIED, you should either steam or iron it. THE FABRIC is a lot stronger when dry, but YOU SHOULD still be careful.
I hope some of this has helped anyone that wanted or needed this information.
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